Major Constraints in Applying Telematic Tools
for CEE
Environments in Transition
The countries of CEE and especially the 10
Accession ones,are of great economic and political
interest to the EU.They represent a set of emerging
markets with large opportunities for foreign
investments and domestic developments in the area
of environmental management and civil protection.
Under the pressure from EU institutions to develop
and implement environmental management and
emergency warning systems, CEE countries have
started investing in advanced telematics projects. In
addition, it has a broader implication on economic
development and modernisation. The major
constraints to effective implementation and use of
telematics in environmental management can be
summarised amongst others as: institutional,
infrastructural, finance and investments, and
expertise and experience at local level.for CEE Environments in Transition
Institutional aspects
Lack of cooperation among users at different levels
of organisations and between different
organisations represents a major draw back for a
correct application of telematics tools.The process
of privatisation has cut down funding causing the
departure of operators into more remunerative
sectors. To regain such technological and scientific
gaps, a real partnership looking at effective
implementation of telematics applications should be
established between EU and CEE countries where
private partnership should be largely involved to
create longer sustainable applications.
Infrastructures
Mentioned above was the continuing challenge of
updating legislation and obsolete telecommunication
infrastructures. In some of the CEE countries, such a
network is inadequate or even absent. Within the
CEE countries the local differences are very large,
there being a lack of a reliable communications (e.g.
high speed data networks), limited electronic
equipment and a low level of standardisation and
interoperability. These difficulties are a great
challenge to the possible transferability of other
already developed systems. Availability of the
internet allowing transferability of data and their
dissemination is also of major importance.
Hardware and software equipment that are initially offered should be provided with a guaranteed source of technical support and replacement hardware, for example when elements of the system wear out or become obsolete. With hi-tech equipment, it can often be impossible to upgrade or replace without the procedure becoming a time-consuming and costly affair.
Finance and Investment
The gradual elimination of state financing and a
higher level of privatisation in many organisations
may be a negative influence to the availability of
funding for new issues like telematics. In addition,
the inadequacy of funding is also present, via the
governments which are shifting the responsibility of
environmental management to local authorities
without providing enough financial resources.
The RTD&D in the CEE countries and outside organisations (EU–RTD, UNEP) are also not investing enough in the environment telematics sector and the proposal procedures represent a major bottleneck in obtaining financial support.
More compatibility between national and EU programmes and integration of telematics projects in the national RTD programme may overcome some constraints in furthering environment telematics applications.
Expertise
Even though a strong academic background is present
at different levels in local authorities, the technical
application of that expertise needs improvement.
Relevant education and training for all the users and
stake-holders has to be reinforced. Developers of
telematics systems are not always good enough in
"selling" their own systems to decision-makers. Public
administration does not always clearly understand the
added value that these systems may provide. Thus it is
very important to stress examples e.g. successful
projects and good practices from which the
experience should be disseminated to a variety of
potential users and decision-makers in order to
improve awareness, environmental management and
transferability of projects around Europe. A successful
implementation of environment telematics applications
requires the involvement of all the parties.
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
